Gary Corsair • Progress Hayesville's Raylyn Taylor connects against Murphy.
By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
Hayesville concluded its softball season with two losses and a celebration.
“Overall, we’re celebrating little victories. We did have a great double play to end an inning that kept us in the game. We played a full seven innings with them when we should have been run ruled in the third going into the fourth,” Hayesville Coach Marissa Peck said after an 8-0 loss at Murphy (13-7 overall, 8-4 Smoky Mountain Conference) on Thursday, the Lady Jackets’ 13th consecutive defeat.
The double play was turned by shortstop Raylyn Taylor and third baseman Danielle Anderson.
The bounce back by Hayesville (1-14 overall, 1-11 SMC) was truly impressive. Murphy’s first six batters reached as the Bulldogs plated five runs on two singles, a double, a walk, a hit batter and two errors. With Murphy on top 6-0 with no outs, the 10-run mercy rule seemed like an unavoidable fate, but Hayesville pitcher Micalynn McClure retired the next three batters. The needed outs came when Danielle Anderson scooped a grounder and rifled the ball to Mallory Peck at first base, Lillie McClure gloved a fly to left field and Taylor shot down the ninth batter of the inning.
Those weren’t the only defensive highlights. Center fielder Lily Chastain made the play of the game, perhaps of the season, when she and Taylor collided on a blooper in shallow center. Taylor had her glove on the ball when the crash occurred, the ball popped loose and Chastain caught it as she fell and landed on her back. The play was especially impressive because Chastain isn’t an out fielder; she was playing because the usual starter, Daylyn Murray, was out with a hip injury.
“She had a collision on a communication error with our shortstop and had the breath knocked out of her, but she still made that play and continued to stay in the game and made a couple more catches after that. Then she laid down a beautiful bunt later on in the game,” Peck stated. “Lily Chastian made some real good catches in center field. I will give her accolades for hanging in there. When you’re short on numbers you can’t go missing one.”
Hayesville was only charged with two errors.
Unfortunately, the Lady Jackets only managed one hit — a single by Micalynn, who concluded her freshman season with a robust .500 batting average.
Hayesville’s offense was short circuited by Murphy pitcher Paisley Johnson’s 11 strikeouts , but the gals who connected with the ball did so with authority. For instance, Taylor and Peck both slammed the ball in the third inning. Taylor was thrown out by the shortstop and Peck was robbed of a sure double by a great running catch in left field.
“We were able to keep them at bay and make plays to get out of some of those innings when they had runners on base,” Peck said. “We could just not hit the ball today. We saw her well on Tuesday and we really struggled with her today.”
Peck also performed admirably on the mound in relief, allowing two hits without walking anyone, zero earned runs, and striking out two in the final game of her superb career.
Peck batted .342, led the Lady Jackets in RBIs with 8 and had a team-best .957 fielding average in her final season.
Hayesville 000 000 0 = 0
Murphy 010 601 0 = 8
Hits: M. McClure
Base on balls: Anderson, Kyla Bauer, Lily Chastain, L. McClure
Murphy 9, Hayesville 3
Hayesville led Murphy 2-0 on Tuesday before coming undone with seven errors that helped the Bulldogs secure a 9-3 decision.
Murphy tied the game at two-all in the top of the third but the Bulldogs salted the contest away by scoring in each of the last four innings.
Hayesville’s six-hit attack was spearheaded by Micalynn, who tripled, singled and scored a run. Anderson had a double and two RBIs, Taylor had a hit, run and RBI, Peck added a hit and a run and Chastain contributed a single.
Peck also pitched well, allowing just two earned runs and not allowing a free pass in six innings.
Murphy 011 122 2 = 9
Hayesville 200 010 0 = 3
Hits: Micalynn 2, Anderson, Chastain, Peck, Taylor
Runs: Micalynn, Peck, Taylor
Doubles: Anderson
Triples: Micalynn
Stolen bases: Peck
Base on balls: Kara Bauer, Peck